Zootaxa 1314: 31–39 (2006) ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) www.mapress.com/zootaxa/ ZOOTAXA 1314 Copyright © 2006 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) A new species of Amphimedon (Porifera, Demospongiae, Haplosclerida, Niphatidae) from the Capricorn-Bunker Group of Islands, Great Barrier Reef, Australia: target species for the ‘sponge genome project’ JOHN N.A. HOOPER1 & ROB W.M. VAN SOEST2 1Queensland Museum, P.O. Box 3300,South Brisbane, Qld. 4101, Australia. 2Zoological Museum of the University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94766, 1090 GT Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Abstract A new niphatid demosponge, Amphimedon queenslandica sp.nov., is described from Heron and One Tree Islands, southern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. The new species is of particular significance as it is currently the subject of the first sponge genome project. The species is characterized within the globally distributed genus Amphimedon by its distinctive blue-green colour, and the combination of encrusting-lobate growth form, spongin-rich spiculofibres and feeble spicule size, The new species is compared and contrasted with known or suspected Amphimedon species of Australia and adjacent territories of Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and Indonesia. Key words: Porifera, Demospongiae, Haplosclerida, Niphatidae, Amphimedon, new species, Heron Island, One Tree Island, Capricorn-Bunker Group, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia Introduction The genus Amphimedon is a moderately abundant group of demosponges with approximately 50 valid species described so far in the literature (Desqueyroux-Faúndez & Valentine, 2002; Helmy & Van Soest, 2005; see also the World List of Extant Porifera (http://www.vliz.be/vmdcdata/porifera/)), although undoubtedly many more awaiting discovery and description (e.g. QM collections, 35 undescribed species). Species are predominantly shallow-water, known from most seas from the Caribbean, South Atlantic, Indo-west Pacific to Antarctica. Within the Australian, Papua New Guinea, New Accepted by G. Worheide: 22 Aug 2006; published: 14 Sept. 2006 31.